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The Sports-Streaming Mess Is Just Starting

The World Cup was supposed to promise soccer fans a plethora of streaming options. Instead, it demonstrates just how far the industry has to go to nail live sports.

soccer
Streamers are increasingly investing in sports, and audiences are following them. But for soccer fans in the U.S., the irony is that watching this year’s World Cup is still confusing, frustrating, and expensive. Photo: Marvin Ibo Guengoer - GES Sportfoto/Getty Images
Julia Alexander
November 30, 2022

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There are few more symbiotic relationships in the new world of entertainment than the one between streaming and soccer fans. American audiences who watch the sport are among the youngest in the country, with 50 percent under the age of 40, according to a Morning Consult survey, and the same demographic of cord-cutters and never-corders who subscribe to multiple streaming services. Premier League has helped Peacock grow its subscriber base, according to Antenna Research. UEFA is also a key driver for Paramount+, according to executives I speak with, which explains why the company spent $1.5 billion to secure matches through 2030. ESPN+ has seen success with various soccer licenses. It’s hardly a surprise that AppleTV+ just paid $2.5 billion for decade-long rights to MLS.